My Best Year Yet

My dad got me a book some years back called Your Best Year Yet. I used it for about two and a half years. The half because I did it a bit too quickly , not so reflective. Well he gave it to me last year. He knew the year had been difficult even prior to Mommy passing. Adding that was enough to push anyone over the edge. But the year also had a lot of positives in it that shouldn’t be forgotten, most importantly finding out we had a new angel on the way. Well I planned to review the ten step process of evaluating the year, but time got away. Well at least consciously, subconsciously I think I just didn’t want to reflect. Reflecting is hard and often painful work.

Well, this year I am up for the challenge. I got the book out so I could reflect and challenge myself. I know I had a lot of goals for the year. My husband always writes 3 goals for every family member and we look at them the end of the year. I was not satisfied with my progress on mine, but I do think I had a productive year. So I will sit and reflect.

How has your year been. Any method that works is great, but in order to get better we have to think about what we have done well, but just as important, if not more, we must think about what we did not do so well. Whether it was a failure or an area needing improvement, we need to reflect in order to grow. It also helps clear baggage. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this, but my mom felt her cancer was in part a manifestation of holding things in.

I challenge you to reflect on your year, plan the next year, and release some of your baggage in the process.

Mute, pause, off – just some quiet please!

I don’t know if its because I’m an Aquarius, INFP (for all you Meyers Briggs folks), or because I’m a mom and wife, but my mind is always going. I mean Always! It doesn’t rest. And I would love to say I am thinking of how I could improve relationships, end world hunger, or something superb. Instead, it’s all these little to do lists. I have tried to organize the chaos. I took a webinar, 2 actually, read up on it, many a thing, but my mind keeps creating tasks. The list is full of big ticket and little ticket items, order new dish washing tabs, get that masticating juicer I’ve decided I need, and get my foundation off the ground. The problem is I’m always putting out fires, working on the little items, and making lists that I don’t get to the big stuff. When I do, my mind is tired, I’m tired, or more lists start floating around.

My mom was big on meditating. She would call some mornings and say, I’m going to be praying and meditating today, so I’m not answering the phone. Just FYI. And that is just what she would do. She often told my husband and I we should be still, even for 10 minutes. Every time I try, my mind starts right back up. But meditation and calming the mind are helpful to the body and spirit.

Breast cancer is still so complicated that we have a lot of pieces of information, but they are more like improving your odds, not actually winning. At least not yet. But you can focus on doing things to improve your odds. I talked about eating, and want to add meditating. Letting your mind rest is also how you let your mind heal. I’m getting my mind around ways to do this. Monday, I will start the 21 Day Meditation Experience with Oprah and Deepak Chopra. I can’t say how it goes yet, but I will keep you posted.